Customers love to connect with the people behind a brand. Video is the easiest way for you to tell your story and and bring your products to life.
Video can be tricky but with the right care and attention (and some tips and tricks), you'll be an expert in no time.
The MoreCommerce video team suggests the following:
- Short duration – usually under a minute is best.
- Define the message - What is the video for? Who is the audience? What do you want them to remember about you and your product?
- Engaging and entertaining content.
Keep in mind how the Internet has changed people’s attention spans and visual standards. Highlight the most important features of your product and connect with your audience.
Here are some important tips from the MoreCommerce video team.
Preproduction
- Plan and organize. Have a location and think about how that location relates to your products. Arrive at your location with your products, the equipment you will need and any supporting materials/props.
- Consider the audience's level of understanding; successful visual instructions use simple components to deliver clear messages and satisfy the audience’s questions.
- Create an outline or script for what you are presenting that highlights the key points. Edit your ideas to 2 or 3 key selling points and match them to the customers needs.
Production
There are many ways to record video footage. In our studio, we use an HD 35mm full frame resolution video camera; professional audio/microphone set-up (a combination of booms and Lavalier microphones); and professional lighting and set-ups.
- Use the highest resolution options your camera offers and always shoot horizontally.
- Use your location to your advantage: shoot somewhere quiet and with good acoustics, especially if you don't have a microphone available.
- Think of the editing process while shooting. Shoot each point separately and then edit the footage together instead of shooting one long sequence.
- Depending on your level of skill and commitment, titles and text that can be added in later to better illustrate and emphasize your key talking points.
Production Equipment
Shotgun microphones are cheaper and easier to use (you just mount these microphones on the bracket of your video camera, no need for boom stands or other accessories). We recommend these shotgun microphones:
- Rode Compact Video Microphone - The MoreCommerce video team uses this model, it works great and it’s a mid price portable and practical tool.
- Rode Stereo Video Microphone - This model is a step above the previous one, without a huge difference in price, while offering substantial audio features, like a manual control of recording frequencies, which allows you to cancel out the sound of low frequency background noise, such as traffic, air conditioners and mechanical noises.
- Rode Video Microphone + Condenser - This is the best cheapest option on the market. This model is very lightweight, practical, easy-to-use and records really good sound, isolating some of the usual annoying background noises and enhancing voice recording.
- Polaroid Pro Video Condenser - This is the cheapest pro level shotgun microphone. It must be used directionally. It is also a condenser so it will eliminate background noise and pick up the sound directly in front of it.
Lavalier microphones are the best option when recording interviews or a single subject speaking. These are the microphones generally used in live television, talk shows, and theater performance. They are small, discreet, and are clipped to the subject. They can be plugged directly into your camera giving you the best audio result for recording voice. It can also be plugged to other recording devices (such as recorders, computers or transmitters), creating a separate high quality audio track.
- Rode Lavalier Microphone - Rode is our favorite brand for video microphones, as you can tell, their prices are right, and the quality of the products is amazing. This Lavalier is one of the best pro recording tools available in its price range.
- Audio-Technica Omnidirectional Lavalier Microphone – We have experimented with this mic and it gives great results. It is not the best tool on the market, but it’s an economical solution for isolating unwanted noise and getting a crisp recording of your subject's voice.
Postproduction
Editing is key to making a video more visually appealing, dynamic, and engaging. Check these tools out and consider using one of them to edit your videos. They are free to download (or are already included in some computers) and easy to use. Try searching the internet for tutorials and help files.
For PC Users
- Windows Movie Maker
- Wax
- ZS4
For Mac Users
- iMovie HD
- Avidemux
- ZS4
Add finishing elements, such as text/titles and a soundtrack, to ensure an engaging video.
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